Honda Car Forum

My '83 Civic has developed a hard starting malady (cold or hot engine).

Noticed it about four weeks ago just before I (flew) back east for a
three week sojourn. Barely got it started the other morning after
returning. The frist time it occurred, it went away after the engine
reached operating temperature.


Symptoms:

* Fully depressed gas pedal to start (cold or hot)

* Rough idle (occasionally stalls)

* No control of timing when rotating distributor position

* Engine "bucks" when driving while maintaining speed in 2nd or 3rd gear.


What I did...

* Disconnected the vacuum line that runs from the control box to the
engine and feeds the distributor advance via a "T" fitting. Found that
if I leave the line (semi) connected, i.e. hooked up from carb to
control box but with the dist line disconnected (open), the engine idle
increases but is rough. Reconnect, and engine slows down to the point
of stalling. Same result if I simply put my finger on the open end of
the "T" fitting that feeds the box and engine.

So, something has failed and the Honda manual is as clear as mud.

Is there a "work around" to solve this problem?

Ol' Grumpy thanks you in advance!

JT

(Pun intended)

For the record, about how far off is the timing?

What is the age at this point of spark plugs, ignition
wires, distributor cap and rotor, air and fuel filters? Are
the plugs, wires, cap and rotor OEM? (IIRC, you are averse
to OEM, and you're also an old hand when it comes to basic
tuneup stuff, but let's get it down here for the record,
anyway. Lot of folks have had bad running problems and
something as simply as new plugs or wires fixed it right
up.)

I would be doing what you're doing: Scouring the manuals and
the net, with a lot of attention to carburetor problems.

I am pretty clueless about troubleshooting carburetors.
Clean 'em up thoroughly, possibly rebuild, watch out for
getting all the vacuum lines hooked up right is all I know.

Also, I'd be following all the carburetor checks listed in
the 1984-87 Civic's factory service manual at
http://www.honda.co.uk/car/owner/workshop.html , with
attention to idle adjustments and especially cold idle. Not
sure if your 83 differs a lot from the 84 Civics, though.

Curly, SoCalMike and all the regulars here ought to leap in,
AFAIC since IIRC some have carb experience.


"Grumpy AuContraire" <Grumpster@GrumpyvilleNOT.com> wrote
> My '83 Civic has developed a hard starting malady (cold or
> hot engine).
>
> Noticed it about four weeks ago just before I (flew) back
> east for a
> three week sojourn. Barely got it started the other
> morning after
> returning. The frist time it occurred, it went away after
> the engine
> reached operating temperature.
>
>
> Symptoms:
>
> * Fully depressed gas pedal to start (cold or hot)
>
> * Rough idle (occasionally stalls)
>
> * No control of timing when rotating distributor position
>
> * Engine "bucks" when driving while maintaining speed in
> 2nd or 3rd gear.
>
>
> What I did...
>
> * Disconnected the vacuum line that runs from the control
> box to the
> engine and feeds the distributor advance via a "T"
> fitting. Found that
> if I leave the line (semi) connected, i.e. hooked up from
> carb to
> control box but with the dist line disconnected (open),
> the engine idle
> increases but is rough. Reconnect, and engine slows down
> to the point
> of stalling. Same result if I simply put my finger on the
> open end of
> the "T" fitting that feeds the box and engine.
>
> So, something has failed and the Honda manual is as clear
> as mud.
>
> Is there a "work around" to solve this problem?
>
> Ol' Grumpy thanks you in advance!
>
> JT
>
> (Pun intended)

Elle wrote:
>
> For the record, about how far off is the timing?
>
> What is the age at this point of spark plugs, ignition
> wires, distributor cap and rotor, air and fuel filters? Are
> the plugs, wires, cap and rotor OEM? (IIRC, you are averse
> to OEM, and you're also an old hand when it comes to basic
> tuneup stuff, but let's get it down here for the record,
> anyway. Lot of folks have had bad running problems and
> something as simply as new plugs or wires fixed it right
> up.)
>


New gas tank, all filters, fuel pump, professionally rebuilt carburetor,
wires, dist cap and denso(?) plugs.

The problem definitely is vacuum (probably control box) related.



> I would be doing what you're doing: Scouring the manuals and
> the net, with a lot of attention to carburetor problems.
>
> I am pretty clueless about troubleshooting carburetors.
> Clean 'em up thoroughly, possibly rebuild, watch out for
> getting all the vacuum lines hooked up right is all I know.
>
> Also, I'd be following all the carburetor checks listed in
> the 1984-87 Civic's factory service manual at
> http://www.honda.co.uk/car/owner/workshop.html , with
> attention to idle adjustments and especially cold idle. Not
> sure if your 83 differs a lot from the 84 Civics, though.
>

I really don't suspect the carb except for maybe the low speed fuel cut
off switch.



> Curly, SoCalMike and all the regulars here ought to leap in,
> AFAIC since IIRC some have carb experience.
>
> "Grumpy AuContraire" <Grumpster@GrumpyvilleNOT.com> wrote
> > My '83 Civic has developed a hard starting malady (cold or
> > hot engine).
> >
> > Noticed it about four weeks ago just before I (flew) back
> > east for a
> > three week sojourn. Barely got it started the other
> > morning after
> > returning. The frist time it occurred, it went away after
> > the engine
> > reached operating temperature.
> >
> >
> > Symptoms:
> >
> > * Fully depressed gas pedal to start (cold or hot)
> >
> > * Rough idle (occasionally stalls)
> >
> > * No control of timing when rotating distributor position
> >
> > * Engine "bucks" when driving while maintaining speed in
> > 2nd or 3rd gear.
> >
> >
> > What I did...
> >
> > * Disconnected the vacuum line that runs from the control
> > box to the
> > engine and feeds the distributor advance via a "T"
> > fitting. Found that
> > if I leave the line (semi) connected, i.e. hooked up from
> > carb to
> > control box but with the dist line disconnected (open),
> > the engine idle
> > increases but is rough. Reconnect, and engine slows down
> > to the point
> > of stalling. Same result if I simply put my finger on the
> > open end of
> > the "T" fitting that feeds the box and engine.
> >
> > So, something has failed and the Honda manual is as clear
> > as mud.
> >
> > Is there a "work around" to solve this problem?
> >
> > Ol' Grumpy thanks you in advance!
> >
> > JT
> >
> > (Pun intended)